Golden Globe Awards 2013: Best and worst dressed

Just one casual observer's likes and dislikes on the looks from the red carpet

By By SHANNON FEARS/SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF

on January 13, 2013 5:26 PM

This year's Golden Globe Awards saw an unusual amount of fashion variety on the red carpet, with no clear trend as exhibited in years past. But as evidenced by (from left) Megan Fox, Rachel Weisz, Lucy Liu and Halle Berry, there were highlights -- and lowlights -- enough to keep fashionistas buzzing until the next big event. less

This year's Golden Globe Awards saw an unusual amount of fashion variety on the red carpet, with no clear trend as exhibited in years past. But as evidenced by (from left) Megan Fox, Rachel Weisz, Lucy Liu and ... more

Hitting the right note on the red carpet is partly about understanding the significance of the event -- the Golden Globes are a big deal in Hollywood -- but mostly about choosing the right dress for the occasion and then accessorizing appropriately. Taylor Swift (or her stylist) understood this perfectly with this Donna Karan Atelier creation in purple, a color not frequently seen on the red carpet. The dress is bold enough to require little extra effort on her part, and she got out of the way and let it speak for itself.

Hitting the right note on the red carpet is partly about understanding the significance of the event -- the Golden Globes are a big deal in Hollywood -- but mostly about choosing the right dress for the

Marion Cotillard wears Dior Haute Couture, and again, simplicity rules the day. You start with a beautiful actress, put a well-tailored dress on her in a gorgeous color -- with one truly fetching detail, its assymetry -- and let the rest speak for itself. Well done.

Marion Cotillard wears Dior Haute Couture, and again, simplicity rules the day. You start with a beautiful actress, put a well-tailored dress on her in a gorgeous color -- with one truly fetching detail,

This is a familiar look on Jessica Alba, but that doesn't take away from the perfect execution. The coral color is jujst right for her skin tone and her hair has that classic '40s look.

Best:

This is a familiar look on Jessica Alba, but that doesn't take away from the perfect execution. The coral color is jujst right for her skin tone and her hair has that classic '40s look.

Photo: John Shearer/Invision/AP

Best: This is a familiar look on Jessica Alba, but that...photo-4025778.55072 - |ucfirst

Worst:

This is an example of not understanding the occasion. Just because you have a great body does not mean it's always appropriate to display vast expanses of it. If this were the kind of thing Eva Longoria made a habit of doing, this misstep might be more understandable. But it's all the more disappointing because she's capable of better.

This is an example of not understanding the occasion. Just because you have a great body does not mean it's always appropriate to display vast expanses of it. If this were the kind of thing Eva Longoria

Worst: This is an example of not understanding the occasion. Just...photo-4025777.55072 - |ucfirst

Worst:

Julie Bowen doesn't look horrible in this gown, and at least it's an interesting color. But this is the wrong kind of asymmetry -- way too much draping. She looks OK on one side and terribly overdressed on the other.

Julie Bowen doesn't look horrible in this gown, and at least it's an interesting color. But this is the wrong kind of asymmetry -- way too much draping. She looks OK on one side and terribly overdressed

Kaley Cuoco, who rocked it at last week's People's Choice Awards in a little princess-y frock, nails it again. The dress is adorable and elegant, it makes her look light and fair and she understood that pale dress + pale skin requires a heavier hand with the makeup. She nailed that, too.

Kaley Cuoco, who rocked it at last week's People's Choice Awards in a little princess-y frock, nails it again. The dress is adorable and elegant, it makes her look light and fair and she understood that

Normally these kinds of prints don't play well on the red carpet, and there will undoubtedly be some who will take issue with Lucy Liu's choice. But this seems like the early arrival of spring, a welcome thought at this time of year, and the base shade of the gown is just right. Plus, she did exactly what she should do with that glorious hair -- a long braid over one shoulder.

Normally these kinds of prints don't play well on the red carpet, and there will undoubtedly be some who will take issue with Lucy Liu's choice. But this seems like the early arrival of spring, a welcome

Best: Normally these kinds of prints don't play well on the...photo-4025769.55072 - |ucfirst

Worst:

Oh holy cow, this is awful on former "American Idol" star Katharine McPhee. It's black. It's shiny. It's too revealing. And it's beginning to become annoying that some of these celebrities are mimicking Angelina Jolie's leg-exposing look from last year's Oscars.

Oh holy cow, this is awful on former "American Idol" star Katharine McPhee. It's black. It's shiny. It's too revealing. And it's beginning to become annoying that some of these celebrities are mimicking

Worst: Oh holy cow, this is awful on former "American...photo-4025765.55072 - |ucfirst

Best:

Hayden Panettiere has never looked better. This is a small person (she's 5-2, optimistically) who can easily look short and stocky, but there's no evidence of that here, even with the "mermaid" footing on this gown that seems to be popular now. She accessorized perfectly and kept her hair and makeup simple.

Hayden Panettiere has never looked better. This is a small person (she's 5-2, optimistically) who can easily look short and stocky, but there's no evidence of that here, even with the "mermaid" footing on

Best: Hayden Panettiere has never looked better. This is a small...photo-4025761.55072 - |ucfirst

Worst:

It's tough to pick on Mayim Bialik, who does not cut a traditionally glamorous image to start with. But she didn't do herself any favors here. A darker dress would have worked better, and you can't call attention to the fact that you don't have a well-defined waist by wearing a gown with a high-waisted accent.

It's tough to pick on Mayim Bialik, who does not cut a traditionally glamorous image to start with. But she didn't do herself any favors here. A darker dress would have worked better, and you can't call

Now it gets worse because it's time to pick on someone who's pregnant. Kristen Bell is comparable to Hayden Panettiere in stature and fair features, so the same sorts of things should work on her -- not this neck-high straightjacket with a cinched-up look reminiscent of the old guy in your neighborhood who wears his pants up to is chest. Yes, she's expecting, but she isn't that pregnant -- this looks more like something she'd wear when she's farther along.

Now it gets worse because it's time to pick on someone who's pregnant. Kristen Bell is comparable to Hayden Panettiere in stature and fair features, so the same sorts of things should work on her -- not

Worst: Now it gets worse because it's time to pick on...photo-4025758.55072 - |ucfirst

Worst:

Ugh. Halle Berry is gorgeous but she barely comes through this cacophonous monstrosity. That print and the colors in it are an absolute nightmare, and by our count she's showing both shoulders, one waist/hip combination and a mile of leg. This is not flattering at all on someone who should be knocking it out of the park every single time.

Love the color and the fit on Emily Blunt, and she, too, understands that less is sometimes more. She got out of the way and let the dress speak, but the problem is, it's hard to know what it's saying. The gown is a great color and there's fantastic lace and beadwork in it, but something about the cutaway midriff doesn't seem right.

On the fence: Love the color and the fit on Emily Blunt, and...photo-4025753.55072 - |ucfirst

On the fence:

We bring this to your attention because it's a short dress on a night when virtually no one else wore one. For that reason, Thandie Newton might have been better served to wear something more formal. However, it's cute, playful and looks great on her.

Sometimes it's hard to put your finger on what's wrong with an outfit. It might be the necklace on Olivia Munn, or the pattern on the bodice, or the oversized clutch. Whatever the case, this seems a little too businesslike an outfit for someone whose exotic looks fairly cry out for a gown that takes a chance. This isn't outright bad -- just odd.

Jennifer Lopez can often become her own cliche; that's what happens when you have a famous body and you've worn famously daring gowns on it. But this beautiful creation falls right in the butter zone where good taste rules over all.

Jennifer Lopez can often become her own cliche; that's what happens when you have a famous body and you've worn famously daring gowns on it. But this beautiful creation falls right in the butter zone where

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley wears ... well, something. It looks like she forgot to remove the napkin from her neck when she got up from dinner, although it does match the rest of the dress. Oversized leather belt, check ... Jolie leg slit, check ... this outfit doesn't know what it wants to be when it grows up.

Rachel Weisz is wearing a cocktail dress that's been faked into a gown with the addition of the never-popular sheer, polka-dotted material. This is what your mother would do if you needed a prom dress on the cheap and had some extra material lying around.

Rachel Weisz is wearing a cocktail dress that's been faked into a gown with the addition of the never-popular sheer, polka-dotted material. This is what your mother would do if you needed a prom dress on

Jennifer Lawrence's dress looks great from the front; it certainly fits her like a glove and is a great color to boot. But ...

On the fence:

Jennifer Lawrence's dress looks great from the front; it certainly fits her like a glove and is a great color to boot. But ...

Photo: Jason Merritt, Getty Images

On the fence: Jennifer Lawrence's dress looks great from the...photo-4025715.55072 - |ucfirst

... on TV it was hard to overlook the way the bodice fit her, which is more evident here. She's quite slender, so the way her breasts were left looking like they'd been stranded on a balcony was distracting and also slightly disturbing. less

... on TV it was hard to overlook the way the bodice fit her, which is more evident here. She's quite slender, so the way her breasts were left looking like they'd been stranded on a balcony was distracting and ... more

Photo: Jason Merritt, Getty Images

... on TV it was hard to overlook the way the bodice fit her, which...photo-4025714.55072 - |ucfirst

Worst:

Thank goodness co-host Amy Poehler changed into something nicer for the show. Not a fan of the blazer worn over a bare torso; if you want to show cleavage, there are a million better ways than this.

Worst:

Thank goodness co-host Amy Poehler changed into something nicer for the show. Not a fan of the blazer worn over a bare torso; if you want to show cleavage, there are a million better ways than this.

Megan Fox does the mermaid thing to absolute perfection. She seems like she's been off the radar for awhile; this ought to put her back on. And what a triumph for someone who's often marginalized in Hollywood as some kind of a joke.

Actress Jo Champa hasn't appeared in anything in three years and has nothing scheduled, according to IMDB.com. So is it just possible she goes to events like this to make the worst-dressed lists? That layer-cake fringe and the shoulders that won't stay up; that's all you need to know.

One of those ugly beasties from the "Alien" movies grabbed Kate Hudson around the throat, ripped open the front of her dress and left a couple of spawn on her leather belt. At least it left her hair looking nice and clean.

Worst: One of those ugly beasties from the "Alien"...photo-4025724.55072 - |ucfirst

Worst:

Another gown that doesn't know what it wants to be. Is it a daring, lacy, midriff-baring chance taker or a long, sleek, elegant black gown with interesting gold leaf detailing around the shoulders? From the look on Nicole Kidman's face, even she doesn't know.

Another gown that doesn't know what it wants to be. Is it a daring, lacy, midriff-baring chance taker or a long, sleek, elegant black gown with interesting gold leaf detailing around the shoulders? From

Now here's a curious thing. You can see a lot of cases of the dress overshadowing the actress at an event like this; here's a case of the opposite. Salma Hayek's dress is nothing special; in fact, it's a bit past its expiration date with that bow. But Salma Hayek herself is so stunning that she actually elevates this outfit into something that makes total sense for her. And that's a good note to end on.

Now here's a curious thing. You can see a lot of cases of the dress overshadowing the actress at an event like this; here's a case of the opposite. Salma Hayek's dress is nothing special; in fact, it's a

This year's Golden Globe Awards saw an unusual amount of fashion variety on the red carpet, with no clear trend as exhibited in years past. But as evidenced by (from left) Megan Fox, Rachel Weisz, Lucy Liu and Halle Berry, there were highlights -- and lowlights -- enough to keep fashionistas buzzing until the next big event. less

This year's Golden Globe Awards saw an unusual amount of fashion variety on the red carpet, with no clear trend as exhibited in years past. But as evidenced by (from left) Megan Fox, Rachel Weisz, Lucy Liu and ... more